Tot Swap Part II
by Moonlight Tigger
Summary: Sequel to 'Tot Swap'. The first task is to tell everyone...and then maybe get on with life? Will it be that simple?
1. Chapter 1

Tot Swap Part II

Chapter 1: Phone call

The line buzzed as Roy shakily dialled the number. He was still in utter shock. In the adjacent room sat his son, stolen from him as a baby and replaced with the real child of Trisha Elric and Van Hohenhiem; Edward Elric, who departed shortly after coming into the world.

After all this time; the boy he had repeatedly mocked and despised over the years working alongside him, had turned out to be his child; Nicholas Leo Mustang.

So he now had the dreaded task of informing Catherine Llewellyn, the mother of his child whom he had broken up with shortly after the 'death' of their baby boy. They hadn't spoken for at least 16 years; so she would be surprised to say the least.

The line clicked as the receiver at the other end was picked up.

"_Hello?" _Catherine's voice spoke. Roy smiled, yet his stomach was doing somersaults. He, for once, was nervous.

"Hiya Catherine. It's me, Roy Mustang," he started.

"_Roy? Why are you calling me out of the blue like this? We haven't spoken in 16 years." _Roy gulped. Now he would have to explain the events which had just taken place in his office.

"Well, I have some **news**," he mumbled.

"_Go on,_" Catherine urged.

"Well, I just met our son." Roy betted he was making no sense to the woman on the other end of the line.

"_Our son? Maybe you should visit a doctor, Roy, because our son is __**dead**__,"_ Catherine stated.

"No seriously. This may be hard to explain, as I have just found out myself, but our child did not die. He was stolen by Trisha Elric, the woman who was in labour at the same time as you," Roy explained.

"_Trisha? How did she steal him? He was right beside me," _Catherine mumbled.

"Well…while you were asleep and Hohenhiem and I were out having coffee, her baby Edward died. She was…distraught and not in a good state of mind. She looked over at our Nicholas, and then waltzed over and swapped them. So, she raised our child while we thought he was dead. The child we buried had brown eyes, not golden. And the boy who has worked under me for five years and I have just discovered in a letter by Trisha is my son, has the golden eyes which he got from you."

"_I don't understand,"_ Catherine mumbled.

"I didn't at first, until I read the letter. It was by Trisha, since she signed it and the boy who is in my team's office distraught at the moment was her so-called son, **Edward Elric**," Roy emphasised the boy's name.

"_Oh…__oh my gosh," _the realisation obviously hit Catherine as she gasped. _"Our little Nicholas…is he still there?"_

"Yes, he's being comforted by my team," Roy replied.

"_Can you put him on the line? I'd like to speak to him."_

"Sure, just give me a minute." Roy stood and sauntered over to his office door. "Ed…can you come through here for a second?" The boy looked up at him with those piercing golden eyes, and Roy smiled. His son, his boy, was standing in front of him. His grown up boy.

…

Edward warily took the phone, taking a seat in his 'father's' office chair. He placed the receiver to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Oh..__.my baby boy." _Edward stared at the phone, pulling a bemused face. Roy snorted. Ed shot him a glare.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"_It's me, your mother, Catherine," _The woman seemed nice. Her voice was soft and caring, but every so often she let out a quiet sniffle, signifying she was also crying from the news.

"Um…hi. I'd guess I'm your son, Nicholas," he stuttered.

"_Yes, but what's the name you've gone by for all these years?"_

"Edward Elric," he answered.

"_Ah, so Roy was right. Trisha did steal you. When I see her, I'm going to give her such a slap for what she's done."_

"She's dead," Ed stated coldly. He did not like anyone threatening Trisha's memory, even if she was not his real mother.

"_Oh…__Ed, I'm so sorry," _Catherine apologized.

"It's fine…it's my little brother Alphonse who's the most affected by it," Ed said.

"_Trisha and Hohenhiem had another son? Aww, that's good, since their first child died."_

"Yeah…I'm sorry for this happening now. I…got the letter from her when she died ten years ago…but I couldn't bring myself to open it…since I was too busy trying to get Al's body back."

"_Wait a minute…__Edward Elric; the FullMetal Alchemist?"_

"Yep. I'd guess you've heard of me then," Ed chuckled.

"_Of course I have! You are famous! Oh, my little boy is famous! And he took after his father, being a state alchemist prodigy," _Catherine blabbered.

"Look…do you want to come to Central? I'd much like to meet you in person," Ed mumbled.

"_Yes…of course! I'll be on the first train there!" _

"Okay…see you soon then, **mom**," Edward warily said. He was not used to calling anyone besides Trisha his mother.

"_Ah, thank you so much, I really longed for my child to say that to me one day. I love you."_

"And I do too," Edward smiled, and then hung up. He looked up at Mustang.

"I'd guess it went well?" The man inquired.

"She's coming on the next train to Central," Edward explained.

"Oh **great**," Roy sighed. Edward chuckled, and his father put his arm around him as they exited the office.

Author's note: Well here's the first chapter of the sequel :). I hope you like it as much as you liked the first story!

Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist, only the plot for this fanfiction :D.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Initial impressions

The day soon drew to a close, and the team found themselves packing up for the night, each excusing themselves at separate intervals.

Once most of their subordinates had departed, the only two individuals left were the new 'father and son', feeling immensely awkward now alone in just each other's company.

"So…I'll just head off to the hotel…" Edward began to make for the door, to suddenly be yanked back. He let out a strangled cry, and then scowled at the offender. "What the heck was that for?"

"I will not allow you to stay in the hotel. You are coming to live with me," Mustang informed him, striding away almost instantly, giving Ed no chance to argue. The blonde sighed and muttered under his breath as he stalked along behind the man.

…

"Are these all your belongings?" Roy asked, slamming down the boot of the car which had escorted them to the hotel. Edward nodded, his brown jacket slung over his shoulder. "Then get in."

Roy waited until the boy was safely in the back seat before climbing into the driver's seat himself. Soon, they were passing through the dimly lit streets of the capital, only lonely lamps illuminating the inner of the vehicle, and the bodies of the men also.

"Bit of a change from what you are used to, eh FullMetal?" the older man chuckled from the front as he turned a corner. In the mirror, he noticed golden eyes sending a piercing glare to the back of his head.

"I'm not **used** to anything," Edward muttered. "I never had a proper father, remember?" Mustang sighed at the statement.

"Look, you know I'll be better than Hohenhiem," he stated, wanting to slam his forehead into the steering wheel. As his eyes once again averted to the mirror, he noticed a small smile on the features which his child had unfortunately inherited from him.

"You know…I've always thought of you…as a father figure to myself and Al…since Hohenhiem was too useless to be one," Edward smiled. Roy repeated the gesture, his signature smirk making an appearance on his face.

"I'd always thought of you two as sons to me also…since you needed someone to protect you," he replied, pulling into his driveway.

"Wow…didn't expect you to have such a nice place, Mustang," Ed commented upon exiting the car. He looked in awe at the large house which was even more grand than the home in which he had grown up.

"Well, this is what a State Alchemist's salary earns you," the older man chuckled. He quickly jogged to the boot and retrieved two of the four suitcases in which his son had loaded his belongings.

…

"Well, you'll live on the third bedroom on the right," Roy stated as they entered the large hallway opening into his home. Edward dropped his bags and began to explore.

"Watch out you'll…" his sentence was interrupted with a smash and a clang from the living room. "…walk into the suit of armour…" He face-palmed as he entered the room, to find Ed with a helmet spinning on his head. He offered a hand out to his son who sat in an undignified fashion on the hardwood flooring.

"Why the heck do you keep suits of armour in your living room anyway?" Edward exclaimed. "That's just creepy!"

"Come on…" The elder sighed, retreating to the front hall to collect the bags and escort Ed up to his new room.

…

"Wow…you have a very…interesting taste," the blonde commented upon entering the grand room, with a fancy four poster bed which he decided he would later transform to his own preferences.

"I like to show off," came the justified reply from the older man, who lugged the remaining bags into the room behind the boy.

"Well no…I have known you for a very long time stupid, I really didn't work that out," Edward said sarcastically, pulling a face. This earned him a playful slap from his father, who quickly escaped before receiving payback.

…

"So how was your night's sleep?" The sleepy blonde shuffled into the dining room, where breakfast was waiting for him on the large oak table, his father sitting at the end with a newspaper. He chuckled at how the man liked to live in luxury.

"Perfectly marvellous," he answered, smirking gleefully at the 'adjustments' he had made to his room during the night. It had given him a relaxing night's sleep, to be fair.

He received a questioning raised eyebrow for his expression, but it was worth it. He couldn't wait to see the man's face when he noticed the changes to the once 'luxurious' bedroom after it had been left alone to Ed. He loved to cause mischief, life was much more exciting.

…

"Well, aren't we looking fine today?" Havoc chuckled as the two men entered the office later that day. Edward sent him a glare.

"Do you really think I want to wear this?" he muttered, pointing to his military attire. "I'm not even part of the military anymore!"

"Did you really make him wear it, sir?" Riza sighed. Roy simply turned and sent her a mischievous grin.

"It was revenge, Lieutenant," he replied. He sniggered at Edward, who hissed and scowled at him.

"Revenge for what?" Havoc asked. Roy grinned.

"**He **decided he'd make a few changes to the room I graciously supplied him with. He…ruined an **immensely** expensive bed and the one-of-a-kind paintings I had decorated the room with," he explained. "And so I decided to make him wear my old uniform."

"It seems a little big for him sir," Riza commented. Havoc burst out laughing. He received a frown from the teen. The baggy clothes sagged off his skinny frame, the sleeves two times too large and the trousers much the same, bunching and causing his hips to look larger than they actually were.

"Just because a runt like him is too small for the clothes I wore as a seventeen-year-old, I can't be blamed for it," Roy pointed out.

"Well he is your child, so of course he must have inherited **something **from you, meaning you shall take full responsibility for both his height and his actions," Riza scolded. Roy stared at her, dumbstruck.

"I don't quite follow you."

"Fine," Riza groaned. "Long story short, you spawned him, so you must suffer the consequences for everything he does."

"But that's not fair!" Roy retorted.

"So can I take this uniform off?" Edward asked. Riza smiled mischievously.

"No, I think we could do with some entertainment," she remarked, and then retired to her desk to work.

…

Chapping came from the door to the office. Riza stood and answered it.

"Oh, hello."

…

"I hate Hawkeye sometimes," Roy muttered.

"So do I," his son agreed from the sofa.

Due to a forced transmutation by gunpoint, mostly via Lieutenant Hawkeye, they had been forced to lengthen Edward's old outfit to Roy's size, and had stripped the older man of his uniform, and had locked it away, meaning the only clothes available were the ones which had just been transmuted. Unless he was daring enough to go nude, that is.

The door slid open, revealing Lieutenant Hawkeye, who saluted upon entering.

"A visitor for you, sir," she stated, and then stepped aside to reveal a short blonde.

"Ah, Catherine," Roy smiled, getting up, forgetting completely about his current clothing. He strode over, receiving stifled giggles from the woman. Riza excused herself, and departed.

"Good to see you again," he shook her hand.

"Are you having a fancy dress party?" Catherine snorted. She pointed to the clothes with which Roy was equipped. He looked down, and sighed, wanting the floor to swallow him whole.

"Hawkeye's fault," he stated. Then, as the other inhabitant of the room cleared their throat, he remembered they were not alone.

"And Catherine…this is Edward," he escorted her over to the sofa, where she gawped at the blonde who now stood.

"My…son?" her lips quivered and she trembled. Edward nodded, taking a few steps forward.

"Hello…mom," he warily smiled. Suddenly, Catherine squealed and leapt forward, entrapping the boy in a bone-crushing embrace.

"Oh…guess I got the strength from her…huh?" Edward commented as he was released. Catherine did not take notice, and instead stared, awestruck at the teen in front of her.

Hands suddenly clenched onto Edward's face, and they travelled over it; pinching at his cheeks, pulling on his eyes, pressing on his nose. Roy pressed a hand to his mouth to halt the oncoming outrageous mirth.

"I can't believe…I thought you were dead," she mumbled. Edward smiled.

"Nah, just fine and dandy, me."

"I'm sorry…about what happened to Trisha," Catherine squeaked. Edward sighed, rolling his eyes and grinning.

"Don't be! She led a good life, and she had her own child, so she was happy when she died," he explained. Catherine smiled sadly.

"I'll visit her grave…sometime…to pay my respects," she said.

"I think she'd appreciate that…to know you forgive her."

…

"So, you'll come and visit me in West City sometime next week?" Catherine asked for the third time as she prepared to leave the military headquarters. Edward nodded, and dared give her a quick peck on the cheek.

"I promise. I will call you later to discuss exact dates," he replied, moving her closer to the door. She seemed to get the subtle hint that she was now to leave.

"Okay, I'll speak to you then. And it was good seeing you," she smiled as she opened the door. "And you Roy." The man sent her a wave from the background.

"Farewell," Edward called as she strolled down the corridor, out of sight. He sighed, leaning heavily on the door. "That was…eventful." Agreeing nods and a few chuckles came from the team.

"I told you she was a handful," Roy muttered.

"Yeah…once I'd invited her," Edward shot back. Roy pouted and folded his arms childishly.

"Well, now that's over with…back to work!" Riza ordered. Roy grumbled an argument to her order, along the lines of 'I am the superior here, so why is she making the orders?'

His protest was answered with yet another bullet hole in the wall above his head. Edward snorted at his petrified expression.

His laughter soon died down, and his face regressed to a solemn frown. Now that he had met his mother…and when she had mentioned Trisha, he suddenly remembered the other 'family' members back home in Resembool. Even though he had promised himself and sworn the others to secrecy so that Alphonse would be clueless, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, and knew that he would have to come clean to Al sooner or later.

And getting it out of the way was the most sensible thing to do, wasn't it?

Author's note: Well, I hope that was good enough :S It was difficult to write, but I had to get the first meeting of Catherine and Edward out of the way to get on with the rest of the story :D Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, only the plot for this fanfiction :3


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Confessions

He sat atop the bed, now transformed back after a row from his father. He stared at the ceiling, devoid of any emotion.

He felt horribly restless, and just could not relax.

After continuous groaning, readjusting and loud sighs, he reached to the phone that sat on the bedside table.

He dialled the number and held the phone to his ear. He gulped; now was the moment he had been dreading. The moment he had procrastinated countless times.

"_Hello?" _Al's voice trilled.

"Um, hi Al. It's me," he mumbled.

"_Brother! I have been worried! You promised you'd phone when you reached Central, but you didn't and I thought the worse had happened!" _

Ed groaned; he was not in the mood for a lecture.

"Alphonse, just be quiet for a minute," his brother immediately silenced, mostly from the warning sign that Edward was using his full name. "I…I didn't phone as soon as I got here because things got in the way. I went to visit Mustang and his team…and events spiralled from then on. But I'm calling now…because I have bad news for you."

"_What sort of bad news Brother?" _Al's tone was that of concern. He probably thought it would be that Ed had injured himself yet again. Ed wished it was as simple as that.

"Please don't call me 'Brother' anymore, because I am…not your big brother," he blurted, wiping a stray tear from his eye as the long silence ensued. "Alphonse, are you still there?"

"_What do you mean; you're not my big Brother? Of course you are, and you always have been and if this is a stupid joke just tell me now or Gate help me I will come over there and give you a piece of my mind!" _Ed held the phone at arms length throughout the short tantrum.

"Alphonse, this is not a joke."

"_It has to be! Mom would be so disappointed in you for doing something like this!" _Ed groaned and his brows furrowed at the allegation.

"Mustang is my father!" he shouted, spilling the last ounce of information.

Alphonse was silent, but Ed could still hear the muffled gasp and slight sobs.

"_But Brother…he can't be…"_

"Mom gave me a letter before she died saying that your biological elder brother; the real Edward Elric died hours after birth. I; Nicholas Leo Mustang, born on the same day in the same hospital room, was stolen in Trisha's misery and panicked state of mind. I was swapped with Trisha and Hohenhiem's real son, who was already deceased, and Trisha claimed that the dead child was in fact my real parents' son Nicholas," he explained.

"_I…can't believe this…Mom swapped you…and now I'm gonna lose the only family I have…" _Alphonse wailed, and it obviously caught the attention of Winry, who soon snatched the phone.

"_Ed, what have you done this time?" _She hissed. Ed sighed.

"Just leave it Winry."

"_No, I won't leave it when you've sent your little brother into hysterics," _Winry shot back, earning an exasperated sound from Ed. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Stop calling him that!" he replied, really wishing he could punch something at this particular moment in time.

"_What do you mean 'stop calling him that'? He's your little brother, so what else am I supposed to call him?"_

"He's not my brother, okay?" Ed finally exclaimed. Winry fell silent.

"_Ed, what the heck are you talking about? Whatever row you have had with Al, he is still your little brother," _she finally mumbled.

"Winry, just listen for once! He's not my brother, and I'm not Trisha and Hohenhiem's stupid kid!" Ed growled.

"_Explain…because I'm fairly sure your mother would be turning in her grave at allegations like this."_ Now Ed really felt he had to punch Winry to make her listen.

"Trisha is not my mother, and she is the one that told me all of this. Just please listen without interrupting, okay?"

A grunting sound was his answer, giving him permission to continue. So he did.

"Edward Elric is the name of Trisha and Hohenhiem's first born son, not me. I was born in the same hospital room on the same day as him, but I had different parents. My parents were two teens named Catherine Llewellyn and Roy Mustang. They were to name me Nicholas Leo Mustang, only when the real Edward Elric passed away at only a few hours of age, Trisha swapped the lively, healthy infant in the cot opposite, beside Catherine; me. She claimed that I was her deceased son, and that Nicholas Leo Mustang was the baby who had died. My real parents were devastated, and so buried the corpse of the child whom they thought was theirs. All were unaware of the event of 'child snatching', besides Trisha, who only revealed that I was not her son on her deathbed. She also handed me a letter with the details of what had happened enclosed."

Ed wiped another few tears from his eyes. He noticed, now that he was displaying his emotion, his chest also hurt and his breathing had become laboured. He clutched hold of his torso as the throb in his chest increased into a loud shot of pain, which spanned across the whole of his upper body.

With a soft sigh, he fell forward, bouncing on the mattress before becoming still, the phone still sitting in his discarded hand.

"_Ed…we're coming to Central so that you can explain this to us face to face," _Winry's voice was the only sound in the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Torn apart

Not a bird dared sing on that painful morn. The cemetery was quiet, with only a handful of individuals crowded around a new grave.

They included a sobbing blonde, embraced by a brunette who comforted her and offered her multiple tissues and a raven haired young man whose pale face refused to show any emotion.

All wore black, clashing with their pale faces.

The funeral of their newborn son had only just ended. They had been the only ones to attend, saying their farewells to the child they knew only briefly; the child who could have accomplished so much, if he had only had the chance.

The raven haired boy turned to the pair of young women. He stared on at the blonde, who sniffled and wiped away a tear.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we can work this out," he stated. The blonde pulled a bemused expression that, if he was not so shrouded in melancholy, he would have chuckled at.

"What do you mean, Roy?" she asked. He sighed, stealing a glance at the gravestone which bore the name of his son. He smiled sadly, and turned back to her.

"Us, we can't be together. I mean, after this, I don't think we can patch things up," he mumbled. "I'm going to work to become a state alchemist, and I want you to go and live your own life, away from me. I'm sorry if it sounds harsh, but it is for the best."

The blonde opened her mouth to speak, but after quick debating, she closed it again, and simply nodded.

"I agree. I'd guess this is goodbye then," she broke away from her friend's embrace and put her hand to her finger. She pulled off the engagement ring, looked into the dusk eyes of her former lover and grabbed his hand. She placed the ring in his palm and closed his fingers over it.

She then smiled and kissed the young man on the cheek, and then turned and calmly walked away, her friend quick to follow.

The young man watched as they disappeared into the crowded city streets. He sighed, and looked in the opposite direction, at the gravestone.

"I promise you, Nicholas, I will make you proud. I'll become the best state alchemist there ever was, just you wait and see," he told the gravestone, before turning and sauntering down the hill himself, alone.

…

"Catherine! Come on, we're gonna be late!" Isabelle shouted.

A few moments later, a flustered blonde toppled down the stairs, pulling on a white cardigan. She wore a blue pinafore with a matching blue hair band.

"I'm sorry! Let's get going!" She grinned and grabbed Isabelle's hand, yanking her through the front door.

They giggled as they ran through the streets, avoiding many collisions with other pedestrians.

Today they would start their new jobs, as assistants to seamstress Rosalie, who provided the best clothing to the elite and wealthy.

"We're so gonna be late!" Isabelle whined. Catherine laughed as she continued tugging her defeated friend through the streets.

"Come on, we're almost there!" She exclaimed.

They slowed their pace as they reached Rosalie's shop. As they entered, a brunette scurried up to them. She wore a coat which contained numerous items for stitching, sewing and fixing.

"You are only just on time! A minute later and I would have fired you for being late on your first day!" The woman scolded them.

"Sorry, Rosalie, it won't happen again," the pair spoke in unison. Rosalie smiled.

"Good. I hope you have learned your lesson. Follow me," she led them into the back rooms, where tons of fabrics and various materials littered the place.

"Get to work, girls. I need this place spotless for my first client at eleven," Rosalie trotted off. Isabelle groaned.

"Cleaning? I thought we'd get to do some sewing!"

"We still might, if we get to work now!" Catherine pulled up her sleeves and skipped over to the first pile of materials.

…

Months passed, and they soon got to assist Rosalie with sewing and stitching clients' dressed and suits.

One morning, they were all sitting in the front room of the shop, sipping on warm cups of tea. Their next client was not due until twelve, so they had time to sit around and relax.

The bell of the door sounded, and so all three turned their attention to the front of the shop.

A young man with light brown hair stood in the entrance. His blue eyes danced in the beaming sunlight from the summer's day outside. He wore a grey suit, with a blue tie.

Catherine was awestruck at his beauty.

He smiled and shuffled over to the desk where the three sat.

"Hello, what may we do for you today, sir?" Rosalie swiftly placed down her mug of tea and stood to greet the man.

He kindly shook her hand, his smile making Catherine weak at the knees yet again.

"Good morning, I was wondering if you could fix this," he removed his suit jacket and tossed it over the counter, pointing to a hole in one of the lapels.

"Yes, of course we can. Would you like it done now so you can take it straight away or would you like it sent to you sir?" Rosalie asked, taking the jacket.

"Well, if you don't mind, I have a meeting later on, and I do not wish to look scruffy…" The young man blushed. Rosalie chuckled, tottering into the back room, followed by Isabelle.

That just left Catherine and the young man. She continued to gaze at him.

"Hello," he greeted her. "What's your name?" He held out his hand for her to take. She graciously took it.

"Catherine. And yours?"

"William," he replied.

"Pleased to meet you William. May I say, you look dashing?" Catherine giggled excitedly. William laughed softly.

"You are very upfront, aren't you Catherine?" He chuckled. Catherine bit her lip. William put his hand under her chin, prompting her to look at him.

"But I must say, you are beautiful. Your eyes, they seem so electrifying," he whispered. Catherine gasped and giggled.

"Likewise," she replied.

"Um…would you like to go to dinner sometime? Like, tonight, perhaps?" William asked. Catherine blushed.

"Of course!" She exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly.

"…here we are, all fixed ready for your meeting," Rosalie and Isabelle re-entered the room. Rosalie handed William his jacket, which he quickly pulled on.

He thanked her and Isabelle, and then made his way to the door, taking one last glance back, and winked at Catherine, who giggled and blew a kiss at him.

…

And so their romance blossomed. Soon they became engaged, and then married, and not long after, welcomed three children into the world.

Catherine still worked at Rosalie's shop in West City with Isabelle, even though the family already had enough wealth from William's career. She couldn't let go of the shop that easily.

As she walked down the main street of the city, carrying her youngest daughter, Lily on her hip, and gripping onto her eldest daughter Poppy, with her spare hand, she spotted the national newspaper outside the grocers. For some reason, she felt compelled to buy it, so called to her son, the eldest of the three children; Robert, and bought the paper without even glancing at the front page.

Once back home, she sat down to read it once the kids were all entertained in their toys. She looked at the front page.

**Liore in turmoil after FullMetal Alchemist exposes fraud priest! **Read the headline.

Catherine sighed. Yet another outbreak of violence in the country. But who was this FullMetal Alchemist? It couldn't be Roy, as he had written to her shortly after he had become a state certified alchemist, named 'The Flame Alchemist'.

She decided not to put too much thought to it as William came through the door after a long day's work. Lily ran up to him, and being the good sport that he was, he twirled his daughter round and round and round in the air until both became dizzy.

Lily and Poppy looked so much like their father, with their brown locks and bright blue eyes, but Robert got most of his looks from her. He had short blonde hair and striking golden eyes.

Sometimes she wondered if that was what her very first child would have looked like if he had grown up. It got her depressed, so most of the time, she simply made herself forget.

…

_Ring, ring. _The phone tinkled away in its holder. Catherine sprinted over and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" She breathed heavily from exhaustion.

"_Hiya Catherine. It's me, Roy Mustang." _She gasped at the name of the man she had once loved.

"Roy? Why are you calling me out of the blue like this? We haven't spoken in 16 years." Besides the odd letter if something major happened.

"_Well, I have some __**news**__,"_ Roy mumbled on the other end.

Go on," Catherine urged.

"_Well, I just met our son,"_ Roy said.

"Our son? Maybe you should visit a doctor, Roy, because our son is **dead**," Catherine stated.

"_No seriously. This may be hard to explain, as I have just found out myself, but our child did not die. He was stolen by Trisha Elric, the woman who was in labour at the same time as you," _Roy explained.

"Trisha? How did she steal him? He was right beside me," she mumbled.

"_Well…while you were asleep and Hohenhiem and I were out having coffee, her baby Edward died. She was…distraught and not in a good state of mind. She looked over at our Nicholas, and then waltzed over and swapped them. So, she raised our child while we thought he was dead. The child we buried had brown eyes, not golden. And the boy who has worked under me for five years and I have just discovered in a letter by Trisha is my son, has the golden eyes which he got from you."_

"I don't understand," Catherine mumbled.

"_I didn't at first, until I read the letter. It was by Trisha, since she signed it and the boy who is in my team's office distraught at the moment was her so-called son, __**Edward Elric**__,"_ Roy emphasised the last part.

"Oh…oh my gosh," Catherine gasped. "Our little Nicholas, is he still there?"

"_Yes, he's being comforted by my team."_

"Can you put him on the line? I'd like to speak to him," Catherine said.

"_Sure give me a minute,"_ there was a clunk as Roy put the phone down onto a hard surface. While she waited, Catherine glanced into the front room where her three children played happily. She looked specifically at Robert, and imagined what her grown-up eldest son looked like. Did he look anything similar, or completely different?

"_Hello?" _The soft question startled Catherine.

And so ensued a brief conversation between Catherine and her long lost son. William came and put his arms around her nearer the end, kissing her neck flirtatiously.

As their conversation ended, and Catherine put down the phone, William raised his eyebrow at his wife.

"Who was that?" He questioned. Catherine smiled, snaking her arms around him, planting a soft kiss on his smooth lips.

"I'll tell you later, when the kids are in bed," she giggled, and skipped away into the front room much like she did when she was far younger.

She would soon be meeting her precious son for the first time in so many years. After finding out on the phone call that he was in fact the famous FullMetal Alchemist, she was even more excited and proud.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Dreadful Dawn

Roy sat up. He rubbed his eyes, to find himself still sitting the large armchair in his study. He must have fallen asleep while reading the night before. He mumbled sleepily, setting the book and his reading glasses atop the desk, and stretched his aching limbs.

He looked at the clock. It read; **07:30. **

Ed should have been up by now.

He trudged up the stairs, and stood before his son's bedroom door. He chapped it lightly, listening closely for any sounds of stirring from the boy.

"Ed, you awake buddy?" he asked, and received no answer. He then tried the door, deciding it best if he shook his son awake; teens were notoriously hard to get up in the mornings.

He found Ed sprawled on his front over the duvet, still fully clothed in the attire he had been wearing the night before. The phone sat in his hand, ringing with the dial tone. Who could Ed have been phoning?

Roy sighed and lifted the receiver from his son's hand, placing it back in its holder. He then, sat beside his son and marvelled at his peaceful face.

Why did he deserve something so fantastic?

"Ed, it's time to wake up," he lightly shook his son's shoulder. Ed did not stir, or even react for that matter, so Roy tried again; harder this time. Still Ed did not move, and so Roy turned the boy onto his back and checked if he was breathing.

No heat or air came to his ear, and so instantly he panicked. He put his hands to Ed's neck, and no pulse came to them.

"Ed, dammit! What the hell happened?" he exclaimed, swiping the phone from its holder once more and frantically dialled 999.

…

Alphonse breathed in the not-so-fresh air of Central Station upon departing from his train. Winry soon followed behind him, and they shared a sweet moment together. Any outsider could see they shared feelings for each other, but neither had the guts to admit it.

"Shall we go and interrogate your brother for his stupid remarks then?" Winry asked, and the younger Elric nodded. He wanted answers for the so-called revelations in which Edward had claimed he was not Alphonse's elder brother.

…

"Oh, hello Alphonse. Long time no see, eh?" Hawkeye smiled upon the entry of the two teens. Al smiled back at her.

"Yes. I would like to speak with my brother?" he asked. Hawkeye's and the entire team's faces fell upon the mention of the boy.

"Shall we take a seat?" Hawkeye smiled, but both the teenagers could see right through her charade.

"What are you trying to hide?" Winry glared. "He's hiding in the other room, isn't he? Doesn't have the guts to face us?" She strode over and threw the door open.

Upon finding it empty, she sent a puzzled glance back at the team.

"Edward was rushed to hospital early this morning. We are still to receive any more information on his condition from his father," Hawkeye mumbled.

"What, Hohenhiem is here?" Al asked. Hawkeye shook her head.

"No…oh, wait…Edward hasn't told you yet…has he?" Alphonse raised an eyebrow.

"Do you mean, what he said last night was true? He really isn't my brother?"

"So he did tell you? That's why he had the phone in his hand…" another voice came into the conversation, averting all heads to its owner.

"Sir…is Edward okay?" Hawkeye asked the exhausted-looking Mustang, who poured a cup of coffee before speaking.

"The doctors say that unjustified stress caused his heart to fail, thus sending him into a heart attack," the man explained. He looked over at the two teens. "Did you two notice him seeming exasperated or over-stressed while you were speaking?"

"Well…we did argue against the things he was telling us, and we wouldn't believe what he was saying…" Alphonse mumbled. Roy pinched the bridge of his nose in what seemed like anger.

"You caused him to have the heart attack then," he muttered. He glugged down the remainder of his coffee and finally looked at the pair, with blood-shot eyes it seemed. "He's stable, but the doctors say he is still in a critical condition. They have no idea when he will wake."

"B-but…I can't have made Brother have a heart attack…it's not p-possible…" Alphonse began to sob. Roy clenched his fists and strode over to the boy, grabbing hold of his collar and thrusting him against the nearest wall.

"Stop blubbering and feeling sorry for yourself! He could have almost died because of your stupidity and selfishness! Do you not even understand the courage it took to tell you all that? He had sworn us to secrecy over the subject, because he wanted to protect you! He loves you more than anything, and because you were so stupid as to not believe him and argue against him he is currently fighting for his life in hospital!" The man bellowed. Alphonse whimpered, and so Mustang let him go. The boy immediately scurried to Winry for protection. Mustang looked over at them with sorrowful eyes.

"I'm sorry…but I can't bear…to lose him…again," he put his hands to his face and took a seat on a conveniently-placed sofa. Alphonse slowly approached the man.

"What do you mean?" He also took a seat adjacent to Mustang.

"When…when I found my baby 'son' lying dead in that cot in the hospital seventeen years ago; I felt so angry, upset, devastated and countless other emotions. It was like…what you must have felt when your mother passed away. Nicholas…was to be the start of a new chapter in my life, and I loved him with all my heart. And…to find him like that after only a few hours of life; it was heartbreaking. So…to finally have another chance, with my real son…I felt so happy and exhilarated. And…to almost have him ripped away again…" Mustang wiped stray tears from his blood-shot eyes.

"I'm so sorry sir…we didn't mean to put you through so much grief…" Alphonse rubbed the older man's shoulder comfortingly. Mustang sighed, taking a deep breath and then looked up at Alphonse, tears still littering the edges of his eyes.

"It's fine…I just hope he pulls through…or I'll have to endure that _image_ of him lying motionless on his bed, with the phone in his hand, for the rest of my cursed life," he mumbled.

"Can we go see him?" Hawkeye re-entered the conversation. The pair on the sofa looked up, and Mustang's surprised face soon softened, and he simply nodded.

"After work though. Ed wouldn't want us to slack off for his sake." The group nodded, and returned to their various duties, while Winry silently embraced Alphonse, offering words of comforting to Mustang.

…

_A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated for absolutely ages! But I hope to be updating more frequently from now on! _

_Please read and review! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Bleached walls**

The phone buzzed into life, surprising all occupants of the room. Hawkeye won the race and swiftly glided it to her ear.

"Colonel Roy Mustang's office. Lieutenant Hawkeye speaking," she recited in a monotone voice. All eyes were locked on her facial expressions as she listened to the caller. "Yes…of course," she held the phone out in Mustang's direction. "It's the hospital."

Roy darted from his chair as fast as he could, swiping the receiver.

"Hello, Roy Mustang speaking." They all watched him as he furrowed his eyebrows, then raised them, and then lowered them again, voicing various strange noises while doing so, in acknowledgement to whoever was speaking. "I see…thank you. We will be there as soon as possible." He sat the phone down, and took a deep breath.

"C'mon don't torture us!" Winry groaned. Mustang rolled his eyes.

"Ed's awake, but he's very weak and the doctors are still worried so he's being kept in for the next week or so. They will explain more when we get there."

Everyone collected their things and filed from the office.

…

When they arrived at the hospital, in their pack, the nurses advised that only the guardian should see the patient at that time, and so the rest of the group were deposited in the waiting room. They gave Roy sympathetic words as they left. All except from Havoc, who was desperately trying to flirt with a young nurse, that is.

"He's been asking for you. I'd advise you not to make him too excited. The doctor will be along in a few moments," a kind young nurse informed Roy before opening the door to the hospital room. Roy swiftly slid in.

"Hey buddy," he smiled, earning both a look of surprise and a delighted look from the invalid. Ed's eyes brimmed with such joy at his entrance.

"Dad!" he exclaimed, grasping the elder into a hug.

Not only was Roy surprised at the gesture, but at the title his son had addressed him with. Ed had made it clear that he would never call Roy his father aloud. Maybe it was because the boy was sick and had been isolated from any normality for the time since he had woken.

He hugged back nonetheless. He knew this was what Edward needed right now; someone to protect him and help him through this ordeal.

Roy sat on the edge of the bed, and cupped Ed's face with his palms, silently asking the boy to look directly at him. Ed did as requested.

"I was so scared…I thought I'd lost you…" he mumbled, grinning wildly as a tear escaped his tough defences of eyelids. Ed managed a small smile.

"I…don't know what happened…" he stated quietly. "I just remember…arguing with Winry and Al…they wouldn't believe me when I told them the truth…and then my chest hurt…and I can't remember after that." Ed looked troubled by the dim memories.

"Don't worry. You're safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you again," Roy urged. He clutched hold of Ed tightly, letting the boy's forehead rest on his inside shoulder. Ed gripped back to the same extent, his fist clenching Roy's shirt.

"Alphonse and Winry probably hate me," the boy mumbled. Roy gripped harder, knowing that wasn't true. He wanted to tell Edward they were here, but he feared the stress it could put on Edward could send him into another heart attack.

With such convenient timing, a knock sounded and a young man with spiky brown hair and stylish modern glasses entered the room.

"Hello Edward. Glad to see you are awake," he laid down the clipboard he had been carrying on the end of the bed, retrieved a pen from his pocket and began scribbling notes on the paper at the top. Roy watched him perform these tasks, unconsciously holding Ed's hand to comfort him. The blonde however, smiled at the doctor and scanned him over.

The doctor finally looked up from his notes and once again smiled at the pair. He walked from the end of the bed to directly beside Ed on the opposite side from Roy.

"Now; I'm Dr Andrews, but you can call me Harvey," he said kindly. Roy grinned; this man sure knew how to relate to sick kids.

"I'd rather Dr H. It sounds cooler," Ed stated. Roy rolled his eyes. The young doctor simply chuckled and then continued to speak.

"So, anyway; it seems as though you've not been well, eh?" To this Ed gave a nod in answer. "I ran some tests on you, and they suggest you have a heart condition. It is very rare, but is not lethal in most cases. If you take the correct medication, everything in your life will be like it was before this event. I'll prescribe you with the medication, but you need to stay here for a few days until you've regained your strength."

"But I'm fine!" Ed protested.

"Try standing up for me Ed," Dr Andrews smiled, collecting the items he had entered the room with, signalling he was soon to depart to his other duties.

Ed - being his stubborn self - decided to climb to the edge of the bed. He placed two feet flat on the floor and eased himself slowly off the bed.

Within two seconds of being free from the appliance, his legs buckled beneath him and he collapsed into Roy's steady arms for support.

"Now you understand? Good. I'll be off then. The other guests are allowed in now," the doctor informed Roy as he exited the room.

Father and son exchanged a quick glance.

"I'll just go and get everyone else. You get comfortable again, okay?" Roy said softly. Ed nodded, sliding back beneath the covers.

…

Hawkeye, Roy and Havoc entered first, with Feury, Falman and Breda quick behind. The last to enter the room were the pair who had originally come to interrogate their childhood friend. That objective had long since diminished, and the younger of the two regressed to tears upon entering the room, darting over to the invalid's side and clutched him tightly, sobbing loudly about how sorry he was and how he wouldn't have been able to live with himself if Ed had died.

"Al…so you're not mad at me anymore?" Ed asked softly as Alphonse sat back. The brunette shook his head.

"It should be you who is angry and disappointed in me. I made you have a heart attack," he bowed his head in shame and despair. A moment later two strong fingers eased it upwards again, forcing him to look into the golden eyes of his 'big brother'.

"I could never be angry or disappointed in you, Al. You're too perfect. And, this heart attack has made me decide that even if we are not biologically related, you're still my little brother, and I want to be able to call you that still. Do I have your consent and permission to?"

"Of course!" Alphonse nodded, regressing to tears once more, grasping hold of his elder sibling.

As the pair sat silently for a moment, Roy interrupted, groaning.

"I'm going to have to go and inform your mother. _**Joy,**_" he moaned. Edward laughed.

"She has a right to know," Riza reasoned. Roy glanced to her and nodded dejectedly. His subordinate knew how to guilt trip him into doing things.

"You're right…" he mumbled, sauntering from the room, but not before taking orders for coffees and waving farewell to his son.

Now it was Winry's turn to step forward, her head bowed. Ed gulped as he passed Alphonse into the comforting arms of Lieutenant Hawkeye, predicting that a wrench was headed his way any moment now. He prepared his skull for the painful impact.

But to his surprise, the violence never came. Winry instead began trembling, and sniffing, and it was only on closer inspection of her face did Ed notice that she was weeping.

"Winry…" he mumbled, beginning to move from the bed to comfort her, forgetting he still had little use of his legs. He stupidly got to his feet, and found himself collapsing to the floor a moment later, with Winry hurriedly catching him, panicking about his welfare.

"Edward, oh god, are you okay?" she stuttered as he sat awkwardly in her arms, with all the other occupants of the room posed to catch him, as they had reacted to his sudden descent to the ground. He wriggled from her grasp, opting to kneel on the ground opposite her. He glanced up after making himself vaguely comfortable in his new position. Then he weakly smiled up at her, the pressure of his ordeal obvious on his face, inflicting guilt on Winry's heart.

"Don't worry, Winry. My legs just aren't up to walking yet," he explained in an attempt to put his childhood friend at ease.

"It's my fault you're in this state. I…was yelling at you…" she began to sob again. Edward sighed, pulling her into an affectionate and comforting embrace. He placed a reassuring hand on her head, stroking her hair softly.

"Don't ever blame yourself for what happens to me Winry, do you hear me?" he held her at arms length, as if scolding a young child. His golden eyes which were usually full of fury were now overloaded with calmness and comfort, willing her to not blame herself. "I have made plenty of stupid mistakes that have landed me in the hospital, and this is just one of them. I should have told you slowly, instead of dumping such a revelation on you so soon. I apologise for that."

"What is going to happen now?" Winry asked, surveying the body of her close friend, worried about his condition after a near-fatal heart attack.

"I'm going to be on medication for the rest of my life. Seems that I have a heart condition," Edward chuckled. Every other occupant of the room gasped, having not known the news.

"But brother… is it dangerous? Are you still in danger of dying?" Alphonse bombarded a surprised Ed with frantic questions. Edward chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"No, no, Al. It's not fatal, just a hassle, that's all," he replied. "It'll be difficult for me to keep track of when I have to take medication. You know me and schedules."

Alphonse attempted a laugh, but it came out as a choked sob, as his face was still wet with bitter tears.

…

Shortly after Roy waltzed through the door, to find his subordinates crowded round Edward's bed, and his son's bed completely empty. He momentarily panicked before his eyes averted to the floor to find Edward and Winry in a quiet conversation with one another.

"Did you try and get out of bed again?" he sighed at his son. He passed the three trays of coffees to Hawkeye, who proceeded to balance them carefully, while he bent down and aided Edward back onto the bed, knowing his son did not have the strength to do so himself.

"So what did Mom say?" Ed asked after settling into a comfortable position. Roy finished handing out the coffees by handing one to his son and taking a seat in the chair beside the bed.

"She shrieked down the phone to me, being as melodramatic as usual. I told her that you were stable, and awake, but being as stubborn as she is – I think that's where you get your stubborn streak from – she insisted on getting the next train from West City to Central." Roy then took a swig of his coffee. Edward sighed.

"Great, so I'll prepare my face to be pulled in awkward directions again," he joked, the military group all understanding and laughing while Winry and Alphonse were left bemused.

"You'll understand when you meet her," Roy stated, noticing their confusion. The pair nodded, cautiously sipping their own hot drinks.

_A/N: Okay, I apologise sincerely for not updating very regularly! But, to make it up to you who have waited so patiently until I finally got back on track, I have a couple of chapters lined up so updates will hopefully be more frequent!_

_Please, read and review! :D Though if you're reading this…then you've probably already read the chapter… Uh…well…then please review!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: A new family**

It was getting late; the sun was setting over the diverse capital city of Amestris. Roy's male subordinates were the first to depart; decreeing a night of drinking considering it was a Friday. Their superior and his son laughed as they left, Edward in the middle of a routine check-up of his vitals. The young man then proceeded to chat to the nurse, apologising for Havoc's harassment of her earlier when she had performed another check-up on him. The nurse, named Lucy simply smiled and nodded, stating that she had not minded – it had been a temporary source of entertainment for her.

As Lucy cleared away her things and excused herself, Edward turned to the remaining people who were at his bedside. Riza and Roy were engaged in a particularly heated discussion about a piece of paperwork that had gone missing, while Alphonse had placed himself next to Ed on the bed, embracing his torso in an attempt to make sure he didn't slip away. Winry was chuckling at the scene, overlooking Edward's automail leg to ensure that it was in perfect shape for when he could manage to stand again. Suddenly Ed found himself getting drowsy. The day had really taken its toll on him, so he rested his head on the amazingly soft pillows, his eyes drifting shut.

Soon soft snores met the adults' ears. Riza and Roy glanced over to the bed, to find Alphonse chatting to Winry while cuddling his brother and Ed with his head rested on the pillows, looking towards the window.

"I think this is our cue to leave," Riza announced, gaining the adolescents' attention. Roy pointed to Ed's peaceful form, and the pair smiled.

"It's not like brother to go to sleep so early," Alphonse stated, glancing at his watch.

"Yes, but remember he has been through quite an ordeal and it has obviously exhausted him," Roy reminded them. As they all prepared to leave, Roy carefully lay the covers atop his son's sleeping body. He stroked Ed's hair out of his face, smiling at the slumbering expression of the child he had thought he had lost, and then left his son to rest.

…

As they closed the door to Edward's room, Winry turned to Roy.

"Mr Mustang… you really care for Ed, don't you?" Roy glanced to her and smiled distantly.

"I have loved my son since the moment he was born. I am just relieved that I still have him with me, instead of buried in the dirt," he explained.

"What was Brother like when he was born?" Alphonse enquired. Roy grinned and proceeded to explain.

"When he was first laid in my arms, moments after birth, I felt an immediate rush of love. Before, I had been terrified about various things – not being able to hold him properly, not being able to provide for him because Catherine and I were so young and so on – but when I had him there in my arms, his tiny scrunched up face loosening to reveal his enchanting golden eyes, I knew that everything would be fine. He tried to break my finger later when he was in Catherine's arms, and I was tickling his chin," he stated, chuckling at the memory. Alphonse and Winry joined in, thinking of similar situations when they were younger. Ed did have a rather violent streak, especially towards Hohenhiem.

"What is Ed's mother like? I mean, his real mother?" Alphonse suddenly blurted. Roy raised an eyebrow, trying to find the right words to describe his former love.

"I'd guess a female version of Ed. Stubborn, a handful, over-confident," he listed all the aspects of Catherine's personality that she shared with her son. Alphonse nodded.

…

The following morning, Roy found himself standing on the platform of Central Station at 8am, yawning. He never woke this early on a Saturday.

He took a sip of the coffee he'd collected from a café on his journey to the station as he watched the train enter the station and slowly come to a stop at the platform. He sighed, readying himself for the onslaught of questions and scolding for 'not taking care of their son properly'.

He soon noticed Catherine depart from the train, and was surprised to find her carrying a young girl, another gripping onto her hand while skipping along the platform beside her. To her right stood a tall brunette, a blonde boy who looked the spitting image of Ed but with far shorter hair perched on his shoulders. She had brought her whole family with her… this was going to be _fun. _

Soon Catherine noticed him, and her frown disappeared, a bright smile adorning her features.

"Roy!" she called, as if he hadn't been looking right at her. He sighed, waving and putting on a half-hearted smile. Catherine led her family across the busy station to him, a determined look on her face.

"Roy how is Edward?" she asked as soon as he reached him.

"He was doing well when we left him last night, and the hospital hasn't called to report any changes. They say he can be discharged in a couple of days," he informed her. Catherine nodded.

"Do you know where any good hotels are here in Central? We'd like to stay until Edward is discharged so he can come for a stay in West City with us to recover," she stated.

"What? Don't you think he'd be better with me, since he has known me for much longer? He needs to be around familiar people," Roy argued. Catherine scowled.

"No. A break out in the West will be good for him," she insisted. Roy sighed, admitting defeat.

"As long as it isn't for too long," he mumbled.

"A few weeks are all I ask. You have been with him for the past few years, and I only met him for a few mere minutes. I want to get to know him better," Catherine said.

"…fine. Come on, I'll find you a good place to stay here in Central," he began to head for the exit of the station, the small family group following, chattering amongst themselves.

…

"I'll be down in the lobby. The hospital isn't too far from here, and I'd guess you don't have much memory of the city, so I'll escort you all there when you are ready," Roy stated as the family made themselves at home in their hotel room. Catherine nodded, fussing over her youngest daughter's dress.

Roy sighed as he flopped into a large leather chair in the lobby. This week had been too emotionally draining already, and now with the stress of a whole family of five to look after, he didn't know how long it would be until he had to go to the bar to drink away his sorrows.

A moment later he noticed someone approaching him and sitting across from him. Looking up, he discovered William sitting there, an understanding smile on his face.

"Sorry about Cat. She can be pretty demanding. But I assure you, Ed will be safe in our care. We have a big house paid for by my work in a large engineering company, and my kids are all well behaved," he explained.

"That'll be great. Ed isn't very well behaved or house-trained. I left him alone in his room the first night he stayed with me and he destroyed the bed and a very expensive piece of art," Roy muttered, laughing slightly at his son's antics. "A word of warning, don't leave him alone with any one-of-a-kind paintings."

William laughed. "Don't worry; we don't have any of those in our house. Our kids may be well-behaved, but they have a tendency to draw over the walls and such when they've had too many sweets."

Roy smiled, nodding understandingly. "I'm lucky to have escaped those years with Ed."

"I can't wait to meet him," William admitted. "He sounds like quite a character from what Catherine's told me. If he's anything like she is, our family life will be much more exciting."

"Oh, he's definitely like Catherine," Roy replied, laughing. The two carried on exchanging outrageous stories of the mother and son, until Catherine and the three young children appeared in the lobby.

"Shall we go?" She smiled brightly. "Oh, Roy, can you take Poppy, please?" She handed the small brunette to the alchemist, who bent down and lifted her into his arms.

The six of them proceeded along the street, discussing various pointless things, simply trying to fill the silence. The three kids didn't take notice, instead watching all the passing cars from their positions at the adult's height.

…

"Good morning, Mr Mustang," a young nurse greeted as the group entered the hospital. Roy sent her a quick smile, before continuing to jog up the stairs to the floor that Edward was on.

As they arrived at Ed's room, Roy chapped and waited for the confirmation that Ed was awake.

Stepping inside the room, they found Ed perched on the bed, his arms poised on crutches, Dr Andrews standing close by surveying Ed's progress. Edward sent them a smile, but otherwise continued with his task, which was evidently testing whether he could stand on the crutches.

He warily eased himself to his feet with the aid of the crutches, his legs wobbling a bit from the sudden pressure. Soon, he was striding across the room confidently, grinning wildly at his new accomplishment.

Andrews smiled. "Very good Edward. A few more practices and we can discharge you."

"Brilliant, Dr H!" Edward grinned as he flopped back onto the bed, Roy taking his crutches and leaning them on a nearby wall, before taking a seat in the chair beside the bed. Ed gave Dr Andrews a high-five before the doctor excused himself to tend to his other patients.

Ed then turned his attention to the new group of people in the room. Recognising the blonde at the front of them, his confused expression soon brightened into an excited one. "Hey, Mom!"

Catherine rushed over, embracing her son. "I was so worried when your father called me! Oh, thank goodness you are alright!"

"Hehe…yeah, I'm fine," Ed replied, gasping from breath from Catherine's tight embrace. As soon as he was released, he looked over to the three children who were shyly hiding behind their father, looking at Ed warily.

Catherine laughed, following his gaze. "They were really excited to meet you, Ed. On the train here we couldn't get Robbie to stop talking about him finally having a brother!" She stood and approached the nervous children. She held her arms out to the little blonde boy, who hesitated for a moment before running into her arms and proceeded to be carried over to Ed's bedside by his mother.

As soon as Robert was deposited on the bed, the two boys caught each other's glance, matching golden eyes surveying one another cautiously. Robert then hesitantly crawled closer to Ed, still assessing him.

"I'd guess I'm your big brother, eh little bro?" Ed laughed, breaking the tension. Robert's anxious face dissolved to an excited one and he grasped onto Ed.

"It's so cool to have a brother who's famous!" he exclaimed. Ed chuckled, patting the boy's back. He then moved Robert to sit in his lap.

"Well, you wanna see something cool?" Robert nodded enthusiastically. Ed slipped his hands into his pyjama pockets, pulling out the pocket watch which had once confirmed his identity as a state alchemist. Robert's eyes widened at the sight of the item, his tiny hands snatching it and studying it excitedly. Ed laughed, ruffling the child's hair affectionately.

The rest of the morning was spent acquainting Edward with his 'new family' of half-siblings and stepdad. Catherine informed Edward that when he was discharged he would be coming to stay with them, and instead of arguing as Roy would have predicted, Edward nodded excitedly, saying something along the lines of how much fun it would be to get to know his new siblings better.

...

A/N: Hey, here's a new chapter! It's a belated Christmas gift!

Thanks to amiegirl17 for encouraging me to update! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA.

Please review!


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